Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-09-08
IHE PENSION REcoRo.
what the Democratic Administration
Has Done for the Veterans

| what the Democratic Administration
Has Done for the Veterans
| Now that certain blatherski.es of
the Tuttle-F airchild stripe are seeking
| to transform the Grand Army of the
| Republic into a Republican partisan
machine, by assailing President Cleve-
| lands record for the purpose of show
| ing that he is an enemy of the veteran
| soldier, it becomes patriotic duty to
present the fact to the public. so that
| every veteran soldier may appreciate
| the ineffable scoundrelism of those
| who would obscure the truth for the
sake of partisan ends. An official docu-
ment has been issued which will en-
able all who want to know the truth
to comprehend at a glance what MIR.
Cleveland's Administration has done
for the Union soldier in regard to
pensions and positions
1t is stated that ''aninvestigator with
a keen regard for figures has gone over
the statutes Of the United States Pen
sion Bureau, and by actual count has
made up the0e statistics regarding the
Pension Office business, which shed
clear light en- that part of President
Cleveland's Administration" These
figures. as to private pension acts, are
of a character to silence all adverse
criticism. They force the conclusion
that Mr.. Cleveland has stood ready to
sign every meritOrious claim for PEN
sion No veteran soldier can con-
template the record for moment with
out realizing that in President Cleve-
land the brave. meritOrious soldier has
a conscientious, infiexible friend. The
records relating to private pension acts
and the employment of soldiers, are as
follows:
General Grant, from 1870 to 1877 inclusive, q
period OF eight years, approved zS5 private
pension acts; Hayes, from 1877 to 1881. inclu-
sive. period OF four years, approved BOB pri-
yate pension acts; Presidents Garfield and Ar
thur, from 1882 to 1885, inclusive. q period OF
four years, approved 736 pension acts; while
President Cleveland, from 1886 to 1887, inclu-
sive, period OF only two years, has approved
800 private pension acts.
This is II more than Presidents Grant and
Hayes approved in twelve years, and 127 more
than Presidents Garfield and Arthur approved
In four years.
appointed more ex-Union soldiers to office
than any other President. He approved the
act OF March 10. 1886, which increased to SIP
per month the pension OF a. $50 widows, minors
the late war. He approved the act OF August
4, 1896, which increased the pension OF 1O,05O
crippled and MANNED Union soldiers OF the late
war. He approved the act of January 20, 1887,
which placed upon the. pension rolls over
e5 900 survivors and widows OF the war with
Mexico.
We challenge the entire Republican
party to show the foregoing figures to
be incorrect. There they stand
figures for the people-fgures for the
veteran soldiers-fgures for the pres
ent and for all time.
But this is not all. The work of the
Pension Bureau during the past two
years. should be studied by the people.
and by the Union soldier. Here they
are:
From July 1. 1885, to June 30, 1887, inclusive, |
26s, 500 pension certificates Of all classes were
issued by the Bureau of Pensions.
From July 1, 1888. to June 80. 1885, 1887 |
pension certificates of all classes were issued |
an increase of 13e, $50 certificates in favor of |
the first two years under Democratic over the |
preceding two years under Republican rule.
From July /, 1885, to June 30, 1887, there |
was disbursed account of pensions, s139.- |
5S4. 27o45
From July /. 1888, to June 30. 1885, there was |
disbursed on account OF pensions sia2, 967 46,
showing an increase OF GIG, org. 80 fer the first
two years under Democratic Administration |
over the last two years under Republican Ad- |
ministration.
On July !, 1888 there were 3OS, 65S pensioners |
on the rolls On July 1, 1885, there were upon |
the rolls 3i5 S25 pensioners, being net increase
to the rolls during the last two years under Re-
publican rule of Il, 467.
On the first day of July. 1887 there were upon |
the rolls 402. 900 pensioners-unof1cial, but /
low esumate-or a net gain OF the rolls during |
the first two years under Democratic rule OF |
Sc, S75 net gain of 5, 405 to the rolls during
the first two years OF President Clevelands |
over the last two years OF Pres |
ident Arthur's Administration. |
During the fiscal year ending June 90, 1887. |
lie, $50 certificates of all classes were issued |
by the Bureau OF Pensions, OF which 81, 1871 were
"orignal," being 5,017 in excess OF the highest |
number ever before issued in the history OF the |
bureau.
With such facts and figures in view. |
comment is not required-they speak |
for themselves. Partisan malignity |
may assail them, but they will glow |
the brighter by the assault, and will |
become more conspicuous. Democrats |
may well feel proud of the record. !
The truth is always more powerful |
than lie. The truth grows in public |
favor. This being the case, the Demo-
cratic party has only to keep the truth |
before the people. -Indianapolis Se,sti-